The present invention relates generally to air distribution systems, and more particularly to an air distribution connector valve for rapidly and positively connecting and disconnecting a life support system to and from a main supply of air.
Various life support systems have been proposed in the past to provide air flow or distribution to one or more human subjects under conditions in which a breathable atmosphere is otherwise unavailable. Exemplary of such conditions are heavy smoke encountered by fire fighters in burning buildings or during forest fires, exhaust fumes encountered by traffic observers in tunnels or other restricted areas, toxic gases which may be encountered by soldiers in the field of battle, or the loss of oxygen in a passenger aircraft in flight. Some life support systems comprise a breathing apparatus employing a filter to remove the noxious or toxic elements from the air. In general, however, most life support systems are characterized by a self-contained source or supply of breathable air, a mask or hood to be placed over the head or simply the eyes, nose, and mouth of the user, one or more hoses to convey the breathable air, and a valve system for turning on and shutting off the supply of air to the user under the user's control. In some instances, the system is intended for a single user, while in many others a single air supply is available for use by several persons.
In any event, prior art air distribution techniques in life support systems utilizing valving arrangements suffer certain disadvantages, principal among which are a lack of free flow of air through the open valve(s); difficulty of manually opening and closing the valve by the user, particularly in emergency situations; lack of a positive indication to the user that the valve is fully open or closed; and inadequate coupling mechanisms for the valves.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved life support system, and particularly to enhance the valve mechanism for air distribution in such a system.